Sausage Rolls

Ingredients

500g sausage mince
3 Puff pastry sheets
Thyme, for seasoning
1 onion, diced
4 slices of bread, crumbled

Preheat oven to 200C. Grease baking trays. Combine onion, thyme, and bread crumbs together. Add sausage mince to the mixture and combine well. Lay out the puff pastry and brush with water. Cut pastry sheet in half. Add mixture to a pipping bag an measure out along once side of the pastry. Roll mixture and pastry over and remove plastic wrapping. Cut up sausage rolls and place on the baking tray. Cook for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Weekender Biscuits

Ingredients

125g butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup sultanas
1 cup self-raising flour
2 cups lightly crushed cornflakes

Preheat oven to 180C. Line baking trays with baking paper.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, beat well. Fold in sifted flour and sultanas, mix well. Drop teaspoons of mixture into cornflakes, roll lightly. Place on lightly greased oven trays. Allow room for spreading. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Makes about 30.

Auntie Maria's Butter Biscuits

Ingredients

3 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
250g butter, softened
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 180C.
Line baking trays with baking paper. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the 2 eggs and mix well. Then combine flour, cream of tartar and baking soda before adding to the butter mixture. Once all is combined measure out teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls. Place these on the baking trays and with a floured fork press gently down on the balls to flatten the mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Then move to a rack to cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

100g soft butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup plain flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Cream the butter and brown sugar. Then beat the vanilla and egg.
Mix flour, cocoa and baking powder in a bowl an gradually beat into the creamed mixture. Finally fold in the chocolate chips.
Using a spoon measure scoops of the cookie dough and place on the baking tray. Leave a little space in between each one.
Bake in the oven for 12 minutes as then let them sit on the baking tray for a couple of minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Apple Custard Tea Cakes

Ingredients

90g butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup custard powder
2 tbs milk
1 large apple, sliced thinly
30g butter, extra, melted
1 tbs caster sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Custard Filling
1 tbs custard powder
1 tbs caster sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180C. Line muffin pan with paper cases. Make the custard filling. Blend custard powder and sugar with milk and extract in a small saucepan. Stir over a low heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat, leave to cool to room temperature.
Beat butter, extract, sugar, eggs, flour and custard powder, then add milk in a bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Divide half the mixture among the paper cases, top with custard then remaining cake mixture. Spread mixture to cover custard. Top with apple, pressing slightly into cakes. Bake for about 30 minutes.
Turn hit cakes, top-side onto a wire rack. Brush hot cakes with extra butter, ten sprinkle with combined extra sugar and cinnamon. Serve warm or cold.

Sticky Date Pudding

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
100g butter, chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour

Toffee sauce
150g butter, chopped
1 cup single cream
1 1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 180C. Place the dates, water and bicarbonate soda in a bowl allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Place the date mixture in the bowl of a food processor with the butter and sugar and process until well combined. Add the eggs and flour and process until just combined. Pour into a greased tray or in patty pans for single serves.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
To make the toffee sauce, place butter, cream and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until butter is melted. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. Spoon over puddings and served with cream or ice cream.

Chocolate Cheesecake Slice

Ingredients

250g scotch finger biscuits
125g butter, melted
500g cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
200g dark chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a slice pan and line with baking paper.
Process biscuits until finely chopped. Add butter. Process until just combined. Press over the base of prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes until firm.
Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time beating to combine. Transfer half the mixture to another bowl.
Stir the chocolate into remaining cream cheese mixture. Spoon mixtures alternating over base. Run a skewer through mixture to create a marbled effect. Bake for 25 minutes or until centre cheesecake is just firm to touch.

Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 tsp salt
125g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
Zest and juice of 1 1/2 limes
2 tbs tequila
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

Tequila-lime icing
125g butter, softened
2 3/4 cups icing sugar
1 tbs lime juice
2 tbs tequila
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 180C. Line party pans with paper liners.
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy. Then add the eggs to the mixture one at a time and mix well.
Add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla and tequila to the butter mixture.
Add the flour and salt and mix until combined. Then add the buttermilk ad mix well.
Spoon batter into paper pans and cook for 25 minutes or until just slightly golden.
Once the cupcakes are cooked, allow them to cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with 1-2 tbs tequila.
To make the icing, mix the butter and slowly add the icing sugar until its all combined. Then add the lime juice, tequila and salt and mix until combined. If the mixture is too wet just add some more icing sugar. Then spoon onto cupcakes and garnish with lime zest.
Makes 14

Chocolate Turkish Delight Cake

Ingredients

2 55g Turkish Delight bars, finely chopped
1 cup water
125g butter, softened
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raisingflour
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 160C. Grease a round cake tin as cut baking paper to fit.
Combine the chocolate and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook stirring until chocolate melts. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beating well each addition. Add the flours and cocoa powder and store until just combined. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Spoon evenly amount the lined muffin pans . Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer to wire rack to cool.

Ice Cream Bread

Ingredients
2 cups ice cream, any flavor
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
Flavors to taste

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a loaf tin with baking paper.
Mix the ice cream and self-raising flour together. Add in chocolate or fruit for extra texture and mix well.
Spoon into the loaf tin, bake the oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean from the loaf.
Serve with jam or chocolate spread
Below are Flavors I cooked.
- strawberry with berries
- chocolate flake

Vanilla Butter Cakes

Ingredients

90g butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
2 tbs milk

Preheat oven to 180C. Line patty pan with paper cases.
Beat butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs, sifted flour a milk in a bowl with electric mixer on low speed until ingredients are combined. Increase speed to medium, beat until mixture has changed to a pale colour.
Spoon 1/4 cup of mixture into paper cases.
Bake for about 20 minutes. Stand cakes in the pans for 5 minutes then turning onto a wire rack to cool.
Decorate as you please.

Choko Chutney

Ingredients

4 medium chokos, peeled and diced
2 green apples, diced
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground gloves
3 cups white vinegar
3/4 cup raisins

Put all ingredients, except the raisins in a large pot. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil on low heat for 1 hour or until excess liquid has evaporated and the chutney is thick. Stir in the raisins and allow the chutney to stand for 15 minutes.
Ladle the hot chutney into clean, warm, dry jars.

Hummus & Sesame Lavosh Crackers

Hummus Ingredients

600g Canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed
3 garlic cloves, crushed
100ml olive oil
2 tbs tahini paste
Juice 1 lemon

Place the chickpeas, garlic, olive oil , tahini paste and lemon juice in a food processor as process until combined. Add 1/4 cup of water and process again until quite smooth.

Sesame Lavosh Crackers
Recipe from Not Quite Nigella blog
http://www.notquitenigella.com/2012/07/16/sesame-lavosh-crackers/

Anzac Biscuits

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
3/4 cup brown sugar
125g butter
2tbs golden syrup
1tsp bicarbonate soda
2tbs water

Preheat the oven to 160C. Line two baking paper. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the oats, coconut and brown sugar.
Put the butter, golden syrup and 2 tbs water in a saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until melted. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda.
Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.
Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on the trays, about 5cm apart.
Press with a fork to flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Lemonade Scones

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup lemonade, chilled
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 220C. Lightly grease 2 baking trays.
Place flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. Add the cream and lemonade and mix to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a light floured work bench.
Press the dough with your hands to form a 2cm thickness. Use a cookie cutter or even a glass with a floured rimmed to cut out the scones. Place on the baking trays and brush the tips with milk. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden.
Serve with jam and cream.

Special Melting Moments

Ingredients

125g butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
3/4 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour

Filling
Lavender cream filling was made by a special friend of mine.
And the spare moments I filled with my raspberry homemade jam.

Preheat oven to 180C. Line 3 baking trays with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and essence until light and fluffy. Add egg. Beat until combined. Sift flours over butter mixture. Stir to combine.
Roll heaped teaspoons mixture into balls. Place on trays, 3cm apart.
Using a fork dipped in flour, lightly flatten each biscuit until 1cm thick, making a criss-cross pattern on top.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until light golden. Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Sandwich biscuits with a teaspoon of jam or filling of choice.

Homemade Raspberry Jam

Ingredients

500g raspberries
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 tbs lemon juice

Mix raspberries, sugar and lemon juice together in a microwave safe dish. Cook uncovered on medium power for 6 minutes, stopping every 2 minutes to stir.
Continue to cook uncovered on high for 16 minutes, stopping every 3 minutes to stir until jam reaches settling point.
To test for settling point, place one teaspoon of the jam mixture on a chilled saucer, place in the freezer for 1 minute. Run your finger through the jam, if the mixture wrinkles and stays separated the jam is ready.
Pour the hot jam into clean jars, turn the jars upside down for 2 minutes and leave to cool.

Beetroot and Fetta Soup

Ingredients

700g beetroot, peeled and chopped
2 tbs olive oil
2 large onions, diced
2 carrots, chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1.5L vegetable stock
2/3 cup cream

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Cook and stir beetroot, onions, carrots and fennel seeds for 5 minutes.
Add vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 minutes or until tender.
Blend soup until smooth. Add cream and stir through.
Serve topped with cubes of fetta.

Chocolate Birthday Cupcakes

Ingredients

125g butter, softened
1 vanilla bean, spilt
3/4 cup caster sugar
100g dark chocolate, melted
1 tbs cocoa
3 eggs
2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 180C. Line patty pans with paper cases.
Add dark chocolate to a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water, stir till chocolate smooth and remove of the heat.
Beat the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl with electric mixer on low until combined.
Add the self-raising flour, cocoa and milk to the mixture and mix until just combined. Add in the melted dark chocolate and mix well.
Spoon in rounded tablespoons of the mixture into the pans and bake for 20 minutes.
Once the cupcakes are cooked, remove from the oven and let cool on wire racks.
Decorate the cakes as you desire, mine have a butter icing with raspberry jelly crystals for a little hint of colour.
Makes 18

Tuna Fish Cakes

Ingredients

400g potatoes, peeled and diced
1 brown onion, finely diced
425g tuna chunks in spring water
1 tbs chopped chives
1/2 cup olive oil
3 gloves garlic, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbs finely grated lemon rind
Flour for dusting

Cook potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 12 minutes, or until tender.
Drain and mash. Heat 1 tbs of oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 4-5 minutes over low heat until tender. Combine mash with onion mixture, tuna, eggs, breadcrumbs, chives ad lemon zest.
Form into patties and dust each side lightly in flour.
Heat remaining oil in frying pan over a medium heat. Add parties and cook in batches for 4 minutes either side. Drain on paper towel. Serve with mayonnaise and lemon.

Rainy Day Apple Pastry Parcels

Ingredients

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
4 medium apples, sliced
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 pinch cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Milk

Preheat oven to 200C. Lightly grease medium baking tray. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add sliced apples to frying pan an stir until soft. Add sugar and cinnamon and stir through. Take apple mixture off heat and cool for 5 minutes. Brush milk over the thawed pastry. Put apple mixture in a square shape in the middle of the pastry, leaving room to fold. Fold pastry over into a parcel.
Brush milk over the top of the parcels and then bale until golden brown.
Recipe makes 2 parcels.

Tomato and Chilli Jam

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
3 long red chillies, finely chopped
400g can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and chilli. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add tomato, sugar, vinegar and fish sauce. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until mixture has thickened. Leave to cool and then transfer to jars or container for storage.

Passionfruit and Coconut Panna Cotta

Ingredients

375ml Carnation light and creamy coconut flavored evaporated milk
2 tbs sugar
2 1/2 tbs or 10g of gelatine
125ml hot water
1 Passionfruit, pulp
Desiccated coconut to serve

Combine carnation milk and sugar in a pan. Stir over a low heat until sugar dissolved.
Dissolve the gelatine in hot water, stir into the milk mixture, mix well.
Stir in the Passionfruit pulp into the milk mixture.
Pour Panna cotta mixture into 4 individual ramekins. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut then refrigerate for 4 hours till set.

Lamb, Feta and Spinach Pasta

Ingredients

400g Tagliolini Pasta- I brought mine at Salt Meats and Cheese Alexandria
500g lamb sausages
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 small carrot, peeled and grated
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
75g Danish feta, crumbled
50g spinach leaves, shredded

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, until just tender. Drain. Cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, cut sausages castings lengthways. Squeeze out sausage meat. Discard castings.
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add sausage meat and onions. Cook using a wooden spoon to break up sausage meat, for 5 minutes or until browned. Add diced tomatoes and carrots,season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Summer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Add feta, mozzarella and spinach to remaining save mixture in pan. Toss over low heat until spinach has just wilted. Serve over pasta.

Easter Egg Slice

Ingredients

200g shortbread biscuits
120g unsealed butter, melted
400g dark chocolate, chopped
300ml cream
2 tbs golden syrup
80g cashews or pistachios, roughly chopped
250g Easter eggs

Line a 18x26cm slice tin with baking paper. Put biscuits in a food processor ad pulse until coarse. Add 90g of the butter and combine. Using your hands press mixture into base of prepared tin. Freeze for 5 minutes to firm.
Combine chocolate, cream, golden syrup and remaining butter inns small saucepan over a low hear and cook, whisking often until melted. Reserve 1 tbs of the cashews, then stir remainder into chocolate mixture. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Pour chocolate mixture over the biscuit mixture. Top with easter eggs an reserved cashews. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into pieces to serve.

Lime and Coconut Cupcakes

Ingredients

125g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
2 tsp finely grated lime rind
3 eggs
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 self-raising flour
1/3 cup natural yogurt

Coconut Icing

100g butter, softened
500g icing sugar mixture
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tbs lime juice

Preheat oven to 180C. Line muffin pans with paper cases. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar and lime rind until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the coconut, combined flours and yogurt in alternate batches, and stir until just combined. Spoon mixture evenly among the lined pans and smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make coconut icing, use an electric mixer to beat the butter until pale. Gradually adding icing sugar beating well between each addition. Add coconut milk and lime juice; beat until well combined. Use a pallet knife to spread icing over each cake. Sprinkle with coconut to serve.
Makes 15 cupcakes

Haloumi and Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients

6 medium zucchini
1/4 tsp salt flakes
250g self raising flour
2 large eggs
2 spring onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
250g Haloumi cheese, chopped into 1cm dice
1/2 bunch mint, chopped
300ml vegetable or olive oil
Tzatziki to serve
1 lemon, quartered

Coarsely grate the zucchini, sprinkle with salt an let it sit for five minutes before squeezing out excess moisture. You will need about three cups of zucchini after salting.
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and combine. Make a well in the centre.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then mix in the zucchini. Gradually add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until you have a smooth, lump free batter.
Fold in the spring onions, garlic, Haloumi and chopped mint.
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan on a medium heat then drop in two tablespoons of batter for each fritter. Cook about four fritters at a time, two minutes or until side is golden. Then cook the otherwise till golden. Drain on crumpled paper towel.
Serve with tzatziki, mint leaves and a squeeze of lemon.
Serves 4-6

Baked Passionfruit Custards

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1 cup (250ml) pure cream
3 eggs
1 egg yolk, extra
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup Passionfruit pulp (4 Passionfruit)

Preheat oven to 160C. Place the milk and cream in a saucepan over low heat and heat until hot but not boiling. Place the eggs, egg yolk and sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale. Slowly whisk in the hot milk mixture. Strain the mixture back into the saucepan and add the Passionfruit. Return to the heat and stir over low heat for 3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Pour the mixture into 4 x 180ml ramekins or heatproof dishes and place in a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins . Bake for 20 minutes or until custards are just set. Remove from baking dish and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until cold.
Serves 4
Recipe from Donna Hay Fast, fresh, simple

Spinach and Beetroot Tart

Ingredients

1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
250g frozen spinach, thawed, drained
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 x 850g can drained baby beetroot, sliced thinly
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 220C. Place pastry on an oiled oven tray. Fold edges of pastry over to make a 0.5cm border all the way around pastry. Prick pastry base with a fork. Place another oven tray on the top of pastry, bake for 10 minutes. Remove top tray from pastry; reduce oven temperature to 200C. Meanwhile, combine spinach with half the cheese in a medium bowl. Top tart with spinach mixture, beetroot, sun-dried tomatoes and remaining cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden brown.
Serves 4
Recipe from Women's Weekly Quick Family Meals

Lemon and Dill Smoked Salmon Pasta

Ingredients

200g spaghetti
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped dill leaves
200g sliced smoked salmon, torn
1 tablespoon salted capers, chopped an rinsed
1/2 cup mint leaves
2 green onions, trimmed and sliced
Sea salt and black pepper
Lemon wedge to serve

Cook the pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes or until al dente. Drain an return to the pan. Combine the lemon zest and juice, oil and dill and add to the pasta with the salmon, capers, mint, onion and pepper. Toss to combine and serve with a lemon wedge.
Serves 2
Recipe from Donna Hay

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Mixed Berries

Ingredients

2 1/2 sheets leaf gelatine or 15g of powder gelatine
600ml thin cream
100ml water
110g caster sugar
1 vanilla bean, spilt
350g mixed frozen berries

Place gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water and set aside for 5 minutes to soak. For the gelatine powder follow the instructions on the gelatine packet.

Place cream in a pan with 50g sugar over low heat for 5minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the vanilla bean seeds to the pan. Squeeze gelatine and add to the cream. Or if using the powder add the gelatine liquid to the cream. Continue stirring over a low heat until gelatine has dissolved.
Pour into moulds and refrigerate for 4 hours to set.

Meanwhile place the berries in a pan with the remaining sugar and water. Stir over a low heat for 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Serve Panna cotta in the moulds or unmould them and pour the mixed berries over the top.